The End Of Her Autumn
by Greenerin
Summary: Alice Margatroid x Marisa Kirisame, Romance. Slightly angsty but has a happy ending, as always!
1. Chapter 1

**"The ****End of Her Autumn"**

_Hey guys! It's me again-) And yep, it's another MariXAli - I've got an opportunity to upload it finally ~_^ Though this time it's not only fluffy, but also a bit angsty - but that's just at the beginning! I truly hate bad endings, you know))_

_lol, I think it's magic - I actually write fics about other Touhou-pairings as well, but Marisa&Alice-stories are first on the list__ when I'm gonna upload something here)) But I'll definitely post it someday, I __promise!_

_Well.. __In comparison with my previous stories this one is rather long - it consists of 3 chapters. So.. enjoy & critisize as always! :) Hope you'll like it!  
_

_P.S: I don't own Touhou Project _

* * *

**Chapter 1**

– Hey, Alice! There is an Autumn's End party at the Hakurei Shrine today's evening, ze! I hope you'll be there, won't ya?

That was the phrase which the Black-White Witch had pronounced earlier with a typical wide grin on her face. Though Reimu called the puppeteer sometimes to such arrangements, Alice usually thanked her but refused to come cause she always felt lonely and more like an outsider in big companies.

But this time she made up her mind to visit the mentioned party. How else? Marisa, Marisa herself had called her! Actually, Alice was so taken aback with her words that she flushed in embarrassment and stammered out something like "well, I don't know.. There's nothing interesting to do there."

– C'mon, I know you don't really think so. I'll be waiting, ze! See ya! – Marisa suddenly squeezed her palm for a moment then winked and flew away leaving the completely perplexed girl behind.

"It is certainly going to be a great evening! No more squinting and uncomfortable situations – everything will be different tonight!" – the blue-eyed doll maker whispered to Shanghai who she decided to leave at home this time. The little doll was smiling joyfully holding out a natty headband to her mistress who was so excited that even got more than two hours late meticulously preparing her best clothings and preening herself.

It was nearly 11PM when she finally came to Reimu's place. Alice heard the loud music and high voices long before she reached the shrine itself. When she got through the gate, she saw a big bonfire on the glade near the shrine. Almost all Gensokyo-inhabitants whom Alice new, were sitting around the fire and having a feast. The generous amount of alcoholic drinks and food had reduced by half, as Alice could judge by from the pile of empty bottles and remnants. She made her way through the crowd carefully, searching for Marisa. No one payed attention to her fragile figure – everyone was occupied with their own chats and entertainments.

As Alice came closer to the source of music, which actually was the Prismriver sisters playing their joyful songs, she finally noticed the magician.

Marisa was dancing with Reimu.

Alice couldn't imagine that this sight would afflict her so much. She just stood there helplessly watching Marisa, _her_ Marisa hopping in tempo with miko's movements. "Idiot," Alice scolded herself. "It's only a dance, nothing more.. It will end soon. Relax.. Just relax!"

The girl decided to greet the witch and the shrine maiden when the musiс finally ended but suddenly saw something that made her freeze on the spot.

Reimu brought her lips to Marisa's ear and whispered something to her – something really intimate as it followed from the deep blush on Reimu's face. The magician froze in astonishment but a moment later got overwhelmed with joy cause she gave the miko a strong long-lasting hug and exclaimed with an amused smile: "Yaaay, Reimu!! You said it finally! I'm really happy to hear it, ze!"

At that moment Alice's heart cracked into peaces. Everything she had been expecting from this evening, all for what she was hoping secretly – all that turned into illusion in a split second. Just another unfounded hope..

She turned away and went back slowly over the hedge and ditch without caring anymore who was on her way. The mere several minutes, which the puppeteer had spent at the party, suddenly precipitated her into the abyss of grief and despair.

As she was passing back through the gate, the familiar voice reached the youkai-girl unexpectedly:

– Alice! Hey, Alice!!

That voice.. It always made her shiver.

Alice turned her face in utter disbelief to see the panting magician. The latter was apparently hurrying to catch the puppeteer.

– You came finally, ze! I'm so glad.. But why are you leaving?..

Then Marisa noticed Alice's mournful face and came up quickly:

– Wait! What happened?

Any other time the words that the witch was glad to see her would bring a blessed smile to Alice's face, but that moment her soul was too desolated, too empty to answer adequately. Irredeemable tears began flowing from the crystal-clear blue eyes. She jerked up her head and turned her painful gaze towards Marisa:

– Why don't you just get back to your beloved Reimu? Leave me alone!

– What?! Alice.. Alice, wait!

– Why the hell should I?! You don't need me here to have fun – nobody does, and especially you! You've already got someone close enough.. So let me go!

But instead of that the magician blocked the girl's way and stretched her hand to grasp Alice's shoulder. That was too much for Alice to bear in such condition. She flinched furiously:

– Don't touch me!! If you don't go away, I'll kill you!

These words stunned the witch. She was speechless for a moment and then uttered quitely:

– Y.. You won't kill me, Alice. You know why, ze? Cause.. Cause I believe that the woman I like would never do anything like that.

– Wh..What? Stop kidding me.. Enough jokes for today! Just.. Just leave me already!!

With these words Alice shaking in deeply upset sob flew up and then disappeared in the forest darkness, leaving Marisa standing on the path sorrowfully among the joyful sounds coming from the shrine.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Alice was meandering along the night wood not noticing the time going by. It had already become late and the air was getting colder and colder, but Alice actually didn't realize that. She was repeating Marisa's words in her head again and again believing for a second what she had said and then doubting it completely. Moreover the oversensitive puppeteer was in great pain remembering all of the harsh things she spat out into Marisa's face. As far as she absolutely couldn't abstract away from those thoughts and end her suffering, Alice's feet brought her back to the Hakurei Shrine somehow with their owner not even noticing it till the last moment.

The shrine.. Everything seemed to be so peaceful there late at night. The guests had left partly, and those strong ones who'd been staying over were apparently sleeping like a log after such a generous amount of alcohol they had drunk out this evening.

Alice stood leaning onto the gate and staring helplessly at the place where Marisa had been trying earlier to prevent her from leaving.

The girl was deep in her thoughts as she suddenly heard a soft laughter and after that a sound of kissing. "What?" She froze on her place. Was somebody there? She glanced at the doorway and then saw two human figures embracing each other. One of them definitely belonged to Reimu whose red-white suit could be clearly distinguished in the dim light of the lamp which was hanging nearby. And the other one.. The shape was standing in the shadow behind the miko and Alice couldn't see the face, but her heart nearly stopped beating when the puppeteer noticed more than familiar thing in the other one's hand. She was refusing to believe her eyes, but when the lamp moved a bit because of the blast of the wind and clearly enlightened the well-known witch-hat, Alice couldn't watch anymore. She clenched her fists tightly and ran away. She was running as fast as she could.. Faster and faster through the forest not noticing the branches brushing her face – just faster, to reach home where she could somehow hide and escape from that despair, those emptiness and grief. "How could I ever think that Marisa's words could be truth? How could I expect that I can be precious to anyone – and to _her_? How could I hope to avoid this loneliness which is tearing me inside? It's forever with me, forever.." Alice was so exhausted she just couldn't run anymore so she flew up in the air striving for her home and the wind was blowing away the tears from her face. The weather was getting colder with every moment – there was the last autumn night before winter would get everything in Gensokyo under its control. It began snowing and the icy wind soon became a rigorous opponent on Alice's way to her only refuge.

As she reached her doorway at last, completely worn out and shattered, she suddenly froze noticing a shape that was sitting near the door and wrapping its knees. The puppeteer was absolutely stunned not believing her own eyes. That body which was shivering from cold, that familiar and, oh, so darling figure in the black-white dress that was clutching herself with all her might could belong only to one person in the world.

Yes, Marisa in the flesh was sitting there. Even with her broom's speed it would be hardly possible for the witch to make her way from the shrine faster than Alice and moreover she had surely been waiting for a long time - it was clear from the broom which was laying nearby covered with white frost. The ground around the house was also covered with snow without any traces, and magician herself was shaking all over. Besides, her hat was nowhere to be found. "So.. that means it clearly wasn't her there with Reimu! Oh, thank God.. Thank God."

– Ma.. Marisa?! – Alice approached her awkwardly. – Is it really you?.. What are you doing here?!

The sitting girl looked up.

– Alice.. You came finally, ze.. – the witch smiled weakly. – Ya cryin' still, you dum-.. – she interrupted abruptly and began coughing roughly.

– Are you alright, Marisa?.. Marisa!

– It's nothing.. I guess. I'm a bit cold, nothing more.

Alice heard Marisa's stertorous breath and that frightened her.

– Let's go inside quickly.. – Alice blocked hurriedly her guarding spell which protected the Margatroid's house from the intruders when she was out, and opened the door. – Hey, are you coming in?

She turned to Marisa only to find the girl snuggling against the jamb breathing heavily.

– Marisa!! Oh no..

Alice ran to the figure and tried to lift her up realizing that Marisa's hands were as cold as ice.

In the end Alice somehow pulled the girl inside with the help of her dolls and dragged her to the chair. It was warm in the house but nevertheless Marisa couldn't stop trembling. Alice rushed to boil the water, simultaneously sending her Shanghai-dolls to throw more wood on the fire. Then she covered Marisa with a plaid and sat down nearby after that.

– You idiot.. How long have you been here? What.. What's with your hat by the way?

– Oh, the hat? Well.. I returned to the shrine only to take my broom and hurried up here just as you left me, so.. It should be somewhere there, I guess. The last time I saw it Yukari was hocus-pocussing getting Cirno out of it, ze. – Marisa began coughing again and then closed her eyes.

"Oh dear.. She's really been waiting for me for so long!" Alice shoot a look at the clock and realised it was nearly 2AM already. "It's.. It's more than two hours she spent here alone!!"

– Oh, Marisa.. – Alice's eyes began to fill with tears as she was watching the completely tired out girl. Alice touched the magician's forehead with her palm to measure body temperature and felt it was high. Marisa's skin was dry and hot under her fingers. – Why didn't you at least call at your place to get some warm clothes when it became so cold?..

– Well.. – Marisa blushed even deeper than the fever made her flush mumbling: - Actually I was in a hurry to get here before you, ze.. I thought if I were away for some time and you'd already got home when I returned.. you might not let me in, – once again an awful hoast convulsed her body after that phrase making the overeager Alice spring to her feet again and wigwag across the room nervously.

– So. I'll make you hot lemon tea immediately. And as for the medicine.. Hell, what do I have?.. Ah, right, I've completely forgotten! Wait here. – Alice began desperately searching something in her cupboard. She got out several various cans and then added somewhat from them into the large pot with hot water checking herself against the notes written on a sheet of paper. After all of the ingredients were combined in a necessary proportion, she boiled them up. It took her fifteen minutes to finish making the brew and cool it down a bit and after that she brought the blond-haired girl a big steaming cup:

– Here. You should drink it. This is a potion against the chest cold - it's a perfect thing for such situations when someone gets a serious undercooling..

Noticing the witch's grimace as she took a sip, Alice added very worriedly touching Marisa's hand:

– I know it may be not tasty at all.. Though I added the raspberry jam to the Eirin's recipe to avoid the bitterness.. But please, drink. You really need it. Please..

– Ok, Alice. As you say. And by the way.. – in spite of her condition the witch suddenly grinned draining the potion in one sip, – anything that Alice creates just can't be uninviting, ze! It was just unordinary, that's all.

– Oh.. – Alice's face became dark crimson. But she couldn't think about Marisa's compliment for a long time cause the latter uttered: – I guess.. I'm feeling really bad.. I'm still cold.

Alice watched her in panic. Even though the magician drank the hot potion and was sitting near the fireplace, she was still shivering. At least her cough grew better and the skin was not pale from coldness anymore turning to normal color, but the fever, on the contrary, increased.

– Hold on, Marisa! That was Eirin's special mixture. It really should help.. You will be ok by morning, and now just be patient.

But Alice herself couldn't be calm at all seeing the witch in such a pain. She was desperately trying to think something else she could do for the girl she was so attached to.

– So, come here. You need to rest now. – Alice helped the completely weakened witch to reach her bed. Then she brought her spare nightgown and got off Marisa's clothes blushing fiercely and trying not to look at the witch's naked body. She put the nightgown on the girl, added worsted socks and a warm blouse and then wrapped Marisa in a blanket. After that the puppeteer spent some time at the bed gripping the witch's hand and listening worriedly to her heavy breathing.

Time went on but Marisa wasn't visibly feeling any better.

– Cold.. It's so cold.. – The witch breathed out half-consciously.

"No way!! What should I do?.." – Alice felt miserable and alarmed. Just what else could she do to warm the girl up? She frowned while thinking intensely. Marisa was obviously too weak to take a hot bath for the moment and it was risky to carry her there in such a condition. But nevertheless she needed the source of warmth.. Alice's eyes turned wide open and she began to blush once again when she considered a solution. She hesitated in embarrassment, but when she looked once more at Marisa's exhausted face she made up her mind straight away. "I hope at least this might help.."

She popped into the bathroom for a minute to wash away everything gotten from all of that evening's turmoil. After that she put on her ribboned nightgown, turned off the light and laid down beside Marisa determinately. She nestled against the still shaking body and cuddled to Marisa tightly from behind trying to cover as much her body as she could to give her more warmth. – Sorry.. I'm so sorry.. It's all my fault, – she whispered into the magician's ear. – Please, Marisa, get well..

– Alice.. – came from the witch, whose shaggy soft hair was now brushing against her face emitting mild flower fragrance. The doll maker felt Marisa nuzzling closer to her half-consciously and held her even more tight.

It took Marisa some time to stop shaking and then finally relax in Alice's arms falling asleep slowly.

Alice breathed out with relief. All that time she never remembered what had happened at the party – she was too worried about Marisa. And currently.. Except the remorse for her previous behaviour, she didn't feel miserable anymore. Even if that was just because of illness, even if that wouldn't ever happen again, she felt happy at the time holding Marisa in her arms and knowing that it was _her_, the witch herself, who chose coming to the puppeteer instead of having fun with her friends.

"If it'd been her who was kissing Reimu there.. Everything would have been different now. Everything in the world.. Thank God it wasn't Marisa. That's all I need to know to feel good now – that Marisa got warm at last, and that it wasn't her that time."

With that thought the exhausted and weary girl fell asleep as well.

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	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sunbeam was slowly making its way through the room and reached Alice's face at last. She mumbled in her sleep and then moved finally waking up and opening her eyes. The first thing that came in her view was the face of Marisa who was lying unbelievably close and smiling to her. The latter gave Alice a wink: – Morning, ze! You're so cute when sleeping, ya know..

– Ma-ma.. MARISA? Ehhh?! – Alice started back realizing she was not only sharing a bed with her beloved magician but also holding the other girl's hand tight. The doll maker faced away blushing fiercely and began getting out of the bed while mumbling nervously: – Oh..! Don't you dare imagine something weird, it's just.. yesterday.. You were cold and I was just trying to warm you up, that's why-..

She was interrupted by Marisa who snatched the hemline of the girl's nightgown asking pleadingly:

– Hey.. Stay with me!

The witch was gripping so strongly that Alice suspected she'd just tear off her night-dress if the puppeteer began to break free. So she froze for a few seconds and then returned into the bed trying to hide her embarrassed eyes from the girl.

– Ya don't need to be so tense, you dummy, – Marisa told her, smiling again. – I felt damn awful yesterday, but I remember clearly how eagerly you tried to cure me, ze. And.. It's only your presence that helped me finally to warm up. Thank you so much, Alice.

– Y-you are welcome.. – the yokai-girl answered trying to calm down her frantically pounding heart. – Uh.. By the way, how are you feeling now?

– Completely well, just as you predicted, ze! There isn't any trace of a chest cold anymore, yay!

– Oh.. I see. Glad to hear it.

Some moments passed in silence. But the witch's next phrase broke it inexorably:

– Hey, Alice.. er.. I wanted to ask. About our yesterday talk..

Alice's heart died. She didn't want to remember the words and emotions from the day before. The puppeteer was not ready yet to be separated so soon from that unbelievable opportunity to spend an uneasy, however, blithesome morning with the magician. She was far too scared to recall something that could ruin the positive tune of their talk. But surprisingly she managed to relax a bit, when she felt Marisa's hand touching her shoulder softly.

– You said you'd kill me back then, ze.. You wouldn't actually, am I right? – the witch stared at Alice.

To kill Marisa.. That sounded so absurdly that it made the girl answer ardently: – I NEVER could do such a thing to you, Marisa. How could I harm you? I.. – "love you so much", she wanted to say but stopped herself realising _what_ exactly she had almost uttered. – You mean very much to me.. And d-don't say a word or I might give it a try though! – she exclaimed angrily burrowing her face into the pillow to hide her embarrassment.

Marisa kept silence obediently, but soon it made Alice so nervous that she looked up again timidly - only to see that the witch was blushing and smiling quite happily.

– Tee-hee.. I kinda knew that, ze! There just wouldn't be any reason for you to care so much yesterday for somebody you really wanted to slay.

– Y-yeah..

It was very hard for Alice to continue discussing that subject but she felt an urge to ask one thing. She just _needed_ to know. – Marisa.. – she whispered. – Why.. why did you come here instead of enjoying the party?

That question suddenly made Marisa begin researching something on her palm intently. – Well.. I like parties, that's true. I like to spend evenings together with buddies, booze and all that cheerful atmosphere, ya know, ze.. But you mean a helluva lot for me, Alice. And among everyone else I wanted to see your smiling face particularly.

"She.. she said _what_? That means.. she wasn't joking after all?!.. " – Alice, who turned as red as a beetroot, flashed a completely disbelieving glance at the witch and noticed deep crimson on her cheeks as well.

– Yep.. What I say is true. Wherever I am and whatever I do, I always want Alice to be happy and content.. And instead of that I made you sad. I was feeling awful because of that and couldn't think about anything else, ze.. – Marisa's voice suddenly sounded depressive and she took her eyes off her hand at last looking straight at Alice. – How can I ever be joyful when I know Alice is miserable?.. So.. I wanted to apologize properly, and.. er.. actually, I wished to see you badly, ze.. Even though you didn't want me to approach.. But I was hoping that you would calm down a bit. So I went straight here. Well, and caught a cold while waiting, I guess, – she forced herself to smile but as a matter of fact she was afraid of Alice's reaction to her words.

The puppeteer couldn't believe her ears. She.. She means something to Marisa? And not just something, but even _a lot?_ "There's no way it could be for real! But somehow it is!.."

The exuberance of feelings inside Alice's heart urged her to burst into tears. – Oh, Marisa.. You are too great-hearted! – the blue-eyed girl felt the taste of salt on her lips and turned her back on the witch straight away to hide the tears on her completely blushed face. – How can you say such kind things – I-I mean, it's totally my fault.. I was acting like an idiot yesterday. I.. turned to be jealous of Reimu who'd been spending time with Marisa, and was monstrously rude to you. And that made you feel bad both physically and mentally in the end.. I'm so sorry.. I.. I'm sorry, Marisa. Please, forgive me.. – Alice's voice reduced to a whisper as she was finishing her erratic word flow, and silence surrounded them disturbed only by the puppeteer's sobs.

And then Alice felt Marisa embracing her gently from behind – just as she had been hugging the magician last night, but this time it was vice versa. "So that's how it feels", – flashed in Alice's head before she heard Marisa's words:

– You don't ever need to be jealous of my relationship with Reimu, you, little silly.. She's a special person for me, that's true. She's the closest friend I've ever had, this Red-White.. But.. My heart is entirely occupied by another young woman. The only one I can think of all the time, the only one for whom I care so much, and the only one for whom I could sacrifice everything.. This is you, Alice. Th..That's how it is, ze. I've liked ya for a long time.. But it was not so long ago when I completely realized it was more than that.

Actually.. The most important reason why I came to the shrine yesterday was that I truly wanted to see Alice enjoying such an evening. And I wished to be the one who could make ya delighted in the best way, ze.. You didn't come on time but I never gave up waiting for you whilst being there. But it seems that you saw me just at the moment when Reimu told me she had finally stopped hiding from her own feelings and allowed herself to accept the endless affection which her beloved Yukari had confessed to her many times. So forgive me for hurting you – even though I didn't mean it at all, ze.

The witch stopped talking for a moment but then cuddled up even closer to the puppeteer and continued to talk hastily as if she was frightened to lose Alice after hearing her reply.

– I.. I'm sorry it took me too long to say it out loud, Alice! But I've never wanted to say it more than now.. I love you – love you with my whole heart. I really mean it!

..You won't hate me for now, will you, ze?.. – the magician added nervously when the other girl didn't answer anything.

Alice couldn't even breath listening to the witch avidly. She finally believed everything that her heart had been denying fiercely, while those tender words and a wonderful feeling of warmth were enlacing her entire body. Her mind was absorbing greedily every sound from Marisa's lips, every touch, every word. She suddenly felt as if something that had fettered her soul for a great while was driven out by overwhelming tenderness of Marisa's words. Finally, she could be free from all the misery and loneliness that surrounded her for so many years.

When the witch ended her declaration of love, Alice lingered a few moments and then all of a sudden turned toward her and threw her hand over Marisa's body. She was currently resting on her arms and her face was over the magician's, who was now gazing right into her sparkling blue eyes. Marisa was completely enchanted with that sight cause Alice's face was gleaming with inner light at that moment. Alice could see Marisa's worried and sincere caramel eyes reflect amazement then pleasure and finally hope and tenderness.

She uttered:

– You dummy.. It's not necessarily to bring me to the parties to make me happy, you know. The only person in the world, the only one who сan make me feel blissful.. This is you. No one else can replace Marisa to me! To bring me happiness you just need to be near.. To share with me a little bit of your warmth.. And to let me take care of you.. And that's all. There's no way I could ever hate you, or kill you, or harm you, or whatever.. To hurt my most important person in the whole world would mean the end of my existence. And.. you are this most important person for me. You're my reason to live, Marisa. My everything. And these are only your words that finally made me free to tell you about it. I love you. I'm extremely, completely crazed about you. And as the time goes by, my feelings are only increasing.. That's why I was so unbearable yesterday. Cause I wasn't even able to control myself properly anymore.. I-I don't know what about me could turn you to lo..love me. But I want to believe it – I already believe. Oh Marisa, I- ..

That speech was too much for the puppeteer who'd been used to hiding her true feelings deep inside. All tension, all importance of the moment made Alice cry again. She moved away and covered her face with her hands sitting up in bed.

Marisa followed her and took Alice's palms off her face gently. Then she wiped the puppeteer's tears with her fingers. – Shh.. Don't cry anymore, Alice. Don't cry, my love, everything's ok from now on.. Don't.. Ah, ze, you SO sweet I just can't contain myself any longer! – With these words Marisa pressed her lips to Alice's, and that's how they shared their first, most important, most nervous, most unbelievable kiss in the unending chain of kisses in their common future.

When their mouths parted, the girls embraced each other tightly and were just sitting like that for a while, overwhelmed with emotions.

– What turned me to like you, you ask, ze, – Marisa whispered striking her beloved one's soft fair hair. – You're warm, Alice. So warm.. You've always cared for me from the distance. Like yesterday, when you were so worried about me.. You took away my pain actually. I almost felt ya absorbing with your heart the coldness which surrounded me. Nobody else could do this for me - only you, ze.. I've always felt passion and life inside you, tons of emotions. And as for your appearance – Alice is always elegant, utterly beautiful and completely perfect to me. Not to mention you have the most lovely eyes in Gensokyo, ze.. I don't want to part with you ever, y'know. I wish to spend every single morning like this, holding you in my arms, kissing you, telling you that I love you. I live for the day actually, but there is one thing I know for sure – I want to spend my lifetime with Alice. So you'd better be prepared to live with a noisy and sometimes completely idiotic kleptomaniac witch.. Do you mind?

– It will be not harder than to live with a quick-tempered and diffident youkai, – Alice whispered smiling. – I'm so afraid that some day you'll find someone better..

– Say no more, – the witch pressed her finger to Alice's lips gently. – Every single quality you possess makes you adorable to me. Both your advantages and disadvantages just make you the way you _are – _the one I love so much. This will never change.

– Stop saying such things for now or else I'm just going to die from happiness.. Oh, Marisa. What are you doing to me?.. Yesterday if I hadn't had Eirin's potion recipe, I'd have just died worrying about you..

– I know. I felt your anxiety and your warmth.. By the way, what's with that potion? Why did Alice ever need it? I thought that youkai can't catch a cold, ze! – the magician looked into Alice's eyes with curiosity.

– Well.. – The puppeteer mumbled blushing. – Actually I've asked Eirin to make it just in case cause I saw you sneezing more than once lately.. And I wanted you always to be healthy. T-that's why.. Though I didn't expect to use it so soon.

Marisa smiled with tenderness: – Aww.. So that was for my sake, Alice.. It's really touching. Thanks. You're so caring, ze.. Hey, – the magician added seriously. – I want to promise you something. Whatever I do, from this moment on I'll be more careful. I'm not going to make you worry so much anymore. So don't fear for me! I'll recover rapidly from every illness, from every adversity. Just be with me.. Ok? Cause I love you more than my life, Alice. So don't ever leave me..

– Hush.. It's completely impossible for me to leave you, you know.. And I'm gonna spend the rest of my life proving that to Marisa. Keep this in mind! And now.. could you.. kiss me once more?..

And so she did – and not just once, nor even twice, nor even ten times.

As the girls were looking lovingly at each other, something warm and light radiated from them and with sunbeams shining through the window it began its way throughout Gensokyo. And soon every single creature around there felt that something heartwarming and unbelievably beautiful was taking place nearby.

And the girls themselves were too occupied with each other to notice an elegant hand in a lacy glove which stuck out from the gap in the air in front of the Margatroid's doorway and hanged up the big witch's hat onto the handle. And then with audible "fufufu.. congrats, you two!", coming from within, the gap melted in the frosty air of the first winter day in Gensokyo.

---

_The end_


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